First visit to London

GreatAuk · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:18

This has got some useful info as well: http://www.timeout.com/london/

I was there for three days last week, glad I didn't just day trip it because there's so much to see! (I could easily have stayed a lot longer!) I mainly went for the museums - Imperial War Museum and National Maritime Museum were particularly outstanding, but Natural History Museum, British library were good for a quick visit too. The time before that I went to the British Museum (superb), and V&A as well.

Bobby@DPD_UK · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:20

GreatAuk said:
This has got some useful info as well: http://www.timeout.com/london/

I was there for three days last week, glad I didn't just day trip it because there's so much to see! I mainly went for the museums - Imperial War Museum and National Maritime Museum were particularly outstanding, but Natural History Museum, British library were good for a quick visit too. The time before that I went to the British Museum (superb), and V&A as well.

The Imperial War Museum is in Elephant & Castle, right? My missus used to teach around there and raves over that museum.

Skidder · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:28

All northerners and scotts should be given two London passes to be used at any point in their life for a day visit. Should they prove themselves exceptional, dragging themselves out of public sector work and / or drug crime and wish to move to London, they should have to take a Life in the South test.

jsmoke · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:30

Skidder said:
All northerners and scotts should be given two London passes to be used at any point in their life for a day visit. Should they prove themselves exceptional, dragging themselves out of public sector work and / or drug crime and wish to move to London, they should have to take a Life in the South test.

Very informative.

Skidder · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:35

jsmoke said:
Very informative.

The question in the OP doesn't really merit answering. As someone who lives in Britain should you go to its greatest city, with some of the best historical sites, heritage, museums, theatre, food, bars, nightlife, shopping, attractions, sporting clubs, architecture, green spaces, markets and atmosphere in the world? Yes. Derp.

jsmoke · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:39

Skidder said:
The question in the OP doesn't really merit answering. As someone who lives in Britain should you go to its greatest city, with some of the best historical sites, heritage, museums, theatre, food, bars, nightlife, shopping, attractions, sporting clubs, architecture, green spaces, markets and atmosphere in the world? Yes. Derp.

True!

Pestilence · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:41

Skidder said:
The question in the OP doesn't really merit answering. As someone who lives in Britain should you go to its greatest city, with some of the best historical sites, heritage, museums, theatre, food, bars, nightlife, shopping, attractions, sporting clubs, architecture, green spaces, markets and atmosphere in the world? Yes. Derp.

Despite all that you list, I still find London the best for simply wasting a day dandering around leisurely checking out random shops, the West End etc.

Transport is fantastic, if cramped and occasionally lacking decent signage but overall London is brill. Only gripe is it's far too expensive.

pepp77 · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:46

BrightonBelle said:
Since when have there been deer in Greenwich Park?

BB x

Greenwich park is the oldest UK Deer Park....

http://www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/greenwich-park/flora-and-fauna/deer-park
http://www.friendsofgreenwichpark.org.uk/index.php?page_id=63

wez130 · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:52

Don;t you have any newspapers up there that do the rail travel offer for £10 each way? I know in the Northern Echo and Evening Gazette in Teesside they do them quite often. Keep an eye out for them.

London is a fantastic city imo, so much to see and do, You need more than a couple of days, i've been a few times for 2 / 3 nights at a time and i still haven't done half of London, not been to Canary wharf yet, always stayed central.

gjrc · 12 Sep 2012 at 16:58

Skidder said:
The question in the OP doesn't really merit answering. As someone who lives in Britain should you go to its greatest city, with some of the best historical sites, heritage, museums, theatre, food, bars, nightlife, shopping, attractions, sporting clubs, architecture, green spaces, markets and atmosphere in the world? Yes. Derp.

TNGL · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:03

Where do you live, that means you have to get the bus? Can you not get the bus to a station that has trains to London?

Skidder · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:11

Pestilence said:
Despite all that you list, I still find London the best for simply wasting a day dandering around leisurely checking out random shops, the West End etc.

Transport is fantastic, if cramped and occasionally lacking decent signage but overall London is brill. Only gripe is it's far too expensive.

Agreed, I rarely do most of that stuff (with the exception of the food, drink and nightlife) but London is one of the greatest cities in the world for knocking about in.

bsoltan · 12 Sep 2012 at 17:35

Bobby@DPD_UK said:
My two personal favourites are Borough Market and St Paul's Cathedral. The former is great to have a mooch around and sample all the different foods, while the latter offers absolutely breathtaking 360 views of London from the very top! Though be warned, it is an absolute trek to get to the very top, where the best views are...

St Paul's is not worth the £9/10 admission fee. I was too lazy to climb right to the top though.

Flibster · 12 Sep 2012 at 18:00

If you want a decent cup of coffee:

Prufrock on Leather Lane.

Skidder · 12 Sep 2012 at 18:30

bsoltan said:
St Paul's is not worth the £9/10 admission fee. I was too lazy to climb right to the top though.

that's the good bit, the view from the top is excellent and 360 (makes me sound like a tourist, I've worked for them rather than visited as a punter / god botherer)

Bobby@DPD_UK · 13 Sep 2012 at 11:54

bsoltan said:
St Paul's is not worth the £9/10 admission fee. I was too lazy to climb right to the top though.

True, it is pricey, but you're going to get that with a lot of the tourist elements of London.

The inside of the Cathedral was fine enough, but the view from the very top was worth admission alone in my view.

Had fun messing around in the Whispering Gallery too!

jsmoke · 13 Sep 2012 at 13:42

Well I'm here and after an hour or so of getting used to it I am impressed, I thought it was meant to be dirty and smelly, looks very clean to me, nice buildings, nice vibe about the place so far. Felt like another planet at first I have to say and wanted to leave asap, but after an hour or two it's all been a good experience so far. People seem very pleasent. Pretty classy I have to say.

Skidder · 13 Sep 2012 at 15:19

I'm glad you are having a good time but it's one of the world's greatest cities, what did you expect? What is the dirty bit, it's not some Dickensian novel brought to life.

Pestilence · 13 Sep 2012 at 15:28

Now get yourself down Soho and buy some poppers and assless chaps, boyo!